In short: For online stores, especially on Shopify, Klaviyo is usually the better choice: orders, products and browsing behavior flow in directly, and flows like abandoned cart are quick to build. Mailchimp fits companies without a store that send a regular newsletter.
What Klaviyo is built for
Klaviyo comes from e-commerce. It knows who bought what, when, how often and for how much. From that you build segments like “bought twice, nothing in 60 days” and flows that start exactly then.
What Mailchimp is good for
The classic newsletter: news, dates, offers to a list. It’s easy to use and templates are quick to adapt. It’s less made for deep store data.
How to decide
- You have a store and want revenue from email: Klaviyo.
- You send news once a month: Mailchimp, or whatever your system already includes.
- You’re on Shopify and short on time: Shopify Email is enough to start; move to Klaviyo later.
What matters more than the tool
The three flows: welcome, abandoned cart and post-purchase. Build those well and you’ll make money with any of these tools. Only send newsletters and you leave most of it on the table.
Frequently asked questions
Can you move from Mailchimp to Klaviyo?
Yes. Contacts and consent can be transferred. You rebuild flows and templates in Klaviyo, which is usually a good chance to clean up.
Can Klaviyo be used in a GDPR-compliant way?
Yes, with a data processing agreement, double opt-in and clean consent in the signup form.